SKATER HOCKEY: Flames claim 10th place in Euros (From This Is Wiltshire)

SWINDON Flames finished 10th as they performed well at the European Under 19 Championships in Delemont in Switzerland.

Flames went into the event as British champions, and gave a good account of themselves over the two days despite the handicap of having to compete without regular team coach Lee Ryan. They were further disrupted by the loss of defender Dette Wagerfield with a dislocated and fractured wrist sustained during their second game victory over Eastbourne, which left the team with a short bench for the remainder of the tournament.

Ably led by player-coach John Spence, who scored three goals, the Flames were always in contention in their games and frequently gave ample demonstration of their ability to play controlled, passing hockey but were often unfortunate in front of goal with numerous chances missed. They were also prone to conceding early goals which proved decisive in the tournament conditions, with shorter game lengths.

The Swindon side were rewarded for their sporting behaviour, though, as they picked up an additional trophy for the Fair Play award - with 10 minutes less in penalties than the next best teams.